News and Media

September 16, 2005

(Jacksonville, Fla.; Sept. 16, 2005) – Crowley recently completed a secretive shipment of 200 police cruisers to St. Thomas and St. Croix in the Virgin Islands for the government. Both islands received 100 cruisers each to replenish aging fleets.

The shipper, Caribbean Auto Mart, which won the bid to supply the cruisers, chose Crowley to handle the cargo with the understanding that the general public and the police department on the islands were not to know about the shipments ahead of time. All of the 200 cruisers shipped from Jacksonville 100 aboard the La Princessa bound for St. Thomas and 50 each aboard the Sea Gale and the Sea Cloud bound for St. Croix. All three ports that touched the cars shielded the vehicles until they could be inspected and released to the customer.

“Crowley bent over backwards to make this move happen,” said Howard Richards, of Caribbean Auto Mart, who chose Crowley to transport the vehicles because of their good working relationship with Crowley and because of Crowley’s relationship with General Motors, which manufactured the cruisers. “Additionally, Caribbean Auto Mart realized that Crowley had the ability to utilize multiple vessels and multiple sailings to ensure that all 200 cruisers arrived in their respective locations at about the same time, which was important given the confidential nature of the move.”

Once received in the islands, the cruisers were presented to the police department and the public during special ceremonies at the Reichhold Center in St. Thomas and at Patrick Sweeney Police Headquarters in St. Croix.

“I am very pleased that Crowley was able to participate in this shipment of these 200 police cruisers for Caribbean Auto Mart, the Virgin Islands Police Department, and the Government of the Virgin Islands,” said Joel Klenck, Crowley vice president, Caribbean and Bahamas services. “Crowley has transported cargo to the Virgin Islands for 18 years and we look forward to continuing and enhancing our Caribbean Service in the future.”

The fleet of new police cruisers includes Chevy Impalas and GMC Envoys. Over the next two years, it is planned that the fleet double to 400 vehicles.

Oakland-based Crowley Maritime Corporation, founded in 1892, is primarily a family and employee-owned company that provides diversified transportation and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of four operating lines of business: Liner Services; Logistics Services; Petroleum Services and Marine Services. Other services provided within these business lines include contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response; vessel management, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales. Additional information about Crowley its subsidiaries and business units may be found on the Internet at www.crowley.com.